MEL50

Hello Everyone! My name is Melanie & I am a July 2009 Bandster. I haven't visited this site since sometime last year, but I need to get back on track. I lost around 80 pounds in the first year, then got lazy and stopped keeping my food journal, lost my drive to exercise and haven't lost any significant weight since last summer. I actually gained a few pounds over the holidays. Chocolate is TOO EASY to eat!!! My doctor's wife, Amy, is the teaching nurse and she is great. She is so encouraging and talked to me about getting back in "Active weight loss". I started my food journal again about 10 days ago and it makes a difference when I keep up with it and look at the # of calories & fat grams I have been eating.... It is kind of scary that I can have a lapband and take in so many calories.... but amazing when I really follow the "rules" of no liquids with meals, eat the quality protein first, and then get some veggies/fruit in, I get full and stay full. I didn't have this surgery at age 50 after being overweight most of my life to fail at this point..... Amy says you can either "work the band" or "let the band work for you"..... I want to let it work for me, not just work around IT.... Any encouragement will be greatly appreciated. It has helped me tonight to just sit here & read the comments from others who have had their band as long as I have and see I am not by myself in this journey....

As I understand it the reason walking helps the gas and bloating is that it isn't gas like we think of when we eat certain foods. The gas they use in surgery to inflate the abdominal cavity is different. It does pass with time. For me, as I sit here and think about it, I had more problems with left shoulder pain from the gas than bloating in my abdomen. Again, if you don't feel better soon, you might want to call your surgeon.

Congrats on the weight loss! That is great! I was banded three months before you and you have passed me on weight loss. I, too, have recently found myself wanting to "stress eat". It is difficult some days but we have to find some other way to deal with our stress. I have found that keeping my food journal in lapband.com helps me a lot. Journaling doesn't work for everyone, but it keeps me honest with myself. I don't think I REALLY realized how much I ate in response to my emotions before surgery, but now that I can't eat as much, I think about food a lot. I don't have a lot of answers for you but I share in the struggle.

Hey ladies, I was banded 7 months ago and I do remember a lot of gas pains, and some bloating, but not to the degree you have described. Walking helped me. Are you on liquids still? If so, what are you drinking? I have read about others who struggled for a while with gas pains but it just didn't seem so much for me. I was on liquids for 12 days and drank mostly broth or skim milk or weak decaf tea. Hope you both feel better soon, and if not, you might want to call your surgeon.

I was banded 7/31/09 and was on liquids for 12 days. When I started on 'mushies' I ate cottage cheese & a soft banana and it went down well, but I used small curd cottage cheese and didn't blend or puree it. The instructions I had were a little liquid while eating the mushy stage was okay. Stayed on mushies for 7 days then went to solids. When I went to solids I stopped drinking liquids with meals, and wait about 45 minutes to an hour after I eat to start liquids again. What I find myself doing now is including something "soft" with my meals like some yogurt or pudding and end my meal with it, so it is at least something moist after eating my protein. I've found it helpful when eating something on the drier side, like chicken, to have something low-cal to dip it in -- like 'no sugar added' ketchup or some light or fat free italian dressing. Just something to add some moisture. You do get used to not drinking with meals after a few weeks -- or at least I did.

I love my band! Dr. Groves is an excellent surgeon in my opinion. I went to the grocery store Saturday and it was so liberating to buy a few things that I know will last me for days because my portion sizes are so small. I really felt free from my appetite.

I was banded 7/31/09 (four weeks ago) and the left shoulder pain continued for three weeks. Walking really helped me most. I found the pain was worse at night when I went to bed, so a pain pill was the best option for sleep. It does go away. I was beginning to wonder, but haven't had any shoulder pain in just over one week.

I started eating solids this week and found that I am still eating too fast and maybe not chewing well enough, which causes pain in the center of my chest. When I slow down, take small bites, and chew well, I'm not having the pain. When were you banded, Skuzie?

What goes in the last column? Is that the goal date or banded date, or what?

Have you signed up for lapband.com "The Journey"? I was banded 7/31/09 and it has been so helpful to me. I use the Food Diary every day and when you start entering what you are eating and it calculates the calories and puts it in a picture with the pie chart, it really makes me aware of what I am eating. There are several other areas on there like logging your daily activities. Hope this helps and take it one day at a time. But of course, you are a lot more experienced at this than I am so close to your goal from your ticker.

Deb, I turned 50 last November and have been "morbidly obese" (don't you hate that phrase?!) since I was in my 20's. When I turned 50 I said "enough is enough, I need help". I saw my surgeon that month and started the six month "dieting program" with my primary doctor and was banded 7/31/09. I thought the six month thing was ridiculous at first since I have been overweight with joint problems and high blood pressure for years. But at the end of the six months, I realized it had been extremely good for me. I had plenty of time to work on my eating habits, learn more about lapband, and prepare myself mentally and emotionally for the coming changes. So if the surgeon requires it, make the best of it (it will go faster than you think) and take advantage of this website. It has been very helpful to me. I wish you the best in your journey.

IndioGirl55, that is great advice. Thanks. It is helpful to me as well. I was banded on 7/31/09 also and am scheduled to see my surgeon again on 9/16/09 for the first fill. I am finding this week that I get hungry about three hours after a meal, but drink more water and try to stay busy and stretch it out to four hours between meals. TO LISAFIRE: Hang in there! We'll one day be like IndioGirl55 and passing on the excellent advice from our experience to others in the future.

Ditto.... me too. Banded on the 31st and getting a little tired of the liquids. LOOKING SOOO..... forward to the mushies. Writing down suggestions as I read through this thread..... THANKS!!!!

Hey... I had hiatal hernia repair (which I didn't know I had) and lapband last Friday, 7/31/09. I've had the center of the chest pain as well, but it is much better today (five days post-op). I have been sticking with the clear liquids plus a small glass of skim milk each day and able to keep it down. When you talk about shakes, my doc emphasized being sure they weren't the kind that gets thick. I use 4 oz skim milk, 4 oz cold water, and the GNC 100% Whey Protein. It mixes quickly and is very thin. I add a little crushed ice so it will still cold and then take small sips. It is low-carb and tastes good. My doc said only one of these per day, though. Hope all goes well for you.

Devylynne -- I'm in Alabama and wanted to let you know I'll be praying for you that you will go through the surgery without complications. My surgery was last week -- 7/31/09 -- so I'm in the post-op phase and doing quite well. Blessings to you.

I got banded on July 31st. Surgery went pretty well, but it took anesthesia about as long to get me intubated as it did the surgery. A very sore throat, etc, but doing much better now. Took my 1st shower on Sunday with no problem. Only problem now is I am not used to hearing my stomach growl so much! Trying to keep from being hungry with the liquids, but already bored with the choices. I don't like beef broth very much, so that leaves me with chicken broth. The other things on the list are cold and sweet. So I have started having hot decaf tea and decaf coffee (weak, of course). If anyone has any other "broth" suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. Looking forward to the pureed food stage.

Thanks, bashful1269. I love the statement in your signature. It is SO VERY TRUE...

That's three of us for this Friday. I am in Alabama and I know a number of people who have had it done. And yes, it does work. But it is a tool. We still have to make the quality food choices.

Well, this is my first post. I have been reading the blogs on this site for several months now, but no courage to post. This one really got to me. I agree with babyka16 that what restlessmonkey said about it taking courage -- that is the truth and it about brought me to tears also. I'm scheduled for lapband this Friday, 7/31/09. It has been a long process and these last few days I have battled the "mind-thing" of "you could have done this on your own if you had really tried". Well, I have REALLY TRIED, lots of times, and I need this "tool" to help me. I look forward to my future now.... turned 50 last November and that is the year of Jubilee in the Bibe -- the year the prisoner goes free....